FunNGames: Nine Dead

The Game: 9 strangers are kidnapped. Every 10 minutes one of them is killed, unless they can figure out what all connects them.

The Movie: There’s something about horror movies that is more about the characters coming to terms with the monsters that they are or never knew existed inside of them. I’m sure it’s a set-up I’ll see more than once this month (Well, I know Saw is on the list so cheating a bit), but it does work for the first movie of the season.

I think what really made this movie for me was the ticking clock, there’s an added element of tension when the movie focuses on how much time the victims have in-between kills and how they become more desperate and urgent when it gets closer to 0.

Where the movie falters a bit for me is the lack of creativity with the kills. Sure, back to basics is the key of the message, but everyone pretty much just gets shot. And as a mystery, there’s not a lot of the audience to go on, we uncover stuff as the victims do. Sometimes, it’s nice to drop hints so you’re ahead of the carve.

That said, I’d recommend checking it out. Especially since it’s currently free to stream on Tubi.